WALKER, Westby Lionel
| Service Number: | 1047 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 20 March 1915, Liverpool, New South Wales |
| Last Rank: | Captain |
| Last Unit: | 1st Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Toowoomba, Queensland, 30 July 1874 |
| Home Town: | Tenterfield, Tenterfield Municipality, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Cooerwull Academy, Bowenfels and St. Andrews College, University of Sydney |
| Occupation: | Banker/Accountant (Bank of NSW) |
| Died: | Suicide (GSW to head), Fremantle, Western Australia, 28 March 1927, aged 52 years |
| Cemetery: |
Karrakatta Cemetery & Crematorium, Western Australia Anglican-Za-0188 |
| Memorials: | Bank of New South Wales Roll of Honour Book |
World War 1 Service
| 20 Mar 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1047, Liverpool, New South Wales | |
|---|---|---|
| 28 Jun 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Corporal, 1047, 6th Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Clan MacEwen, Sydney | |
| 28 Jun 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Corporal, 1047, 6th Light Horse Regiment, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '2' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Clan MacEwen embarkation_ship_number: A65 public_note: '' | |
| 2 Oct 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Trooper, 1047, 6th Light Horse Regiment, ANZAC / Gallipoli | |
| 28 Nov 1915: | Promoted AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 53rd Infantry Battalion | |
| 29 Nov 1915: | Transferred AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 1st Infantry Battalion | |
| 12 Feb 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lieutenant | |
| 29 May 1916: | Wounded AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 1st Infantry Battalion, GSW (thigh) | |
| 23 Oct 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Captain, 1st Infantry Battalion | |
| 8 Jul 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Captain, 1st Infantry Battalion |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Sheila Walker
Captain Westby Lionel Walker. 6th Light Horse 1st Battallion and 53rd Battallion, AIF.
Westby Lionel Walker was born 30th July 1874 in Toowoomba, QLD, the son of the late W.H. Walker and of Mrs Georgina Martha Walker. He was educated at the Cooerwull Academy, Bowenfels and the University of Sydney. While at St Andrew’s college, University of Sydney, he represented New South Wales at Rugby Union. Captain Walker entered the service of the Bank of New South Wales on 24th April 1896 at Coolgardie, Western Australia. In June 1897 he was transferred to Head Office, thence on 1st July 1898 to Tenterfield as Assistant, and was appointed Accountant there in January 1900. He was then transferred to Gunnedah as Accountant in November 1900; to head office January 1905; to Suva, Fiji in March 1906; to the Inspectors Department, head office in July 1908, and to Townsville as Relieving Officer in November 1911. Enlisting in the AIF on 23rd March 1915, Westby Walker joined the 6th Light Horse in the following September as a Trooper in Gallipoli, then was promoted to Lieutenant in the 1st Battallion the following November. He left Gallipoli with the last of the forces on the night of 19th December 1915, and was on duty at Tel-El-Kabir, Egypt from January to March. He was then transferred to the 53rd Battallion in February, but re-transferred to the 1st Battallion and left Alexandria for France on 23rd March 1916.
Lieutenant Walker was wounded in action on 28th May 1916, and was one of the lucky Australians to have spent some time at Glamis Castle, then the home of Elizabeth Bowes Lyon, who went on to become Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. He was able to re-join his battalion the following August, and was promoted to Captain in October 1916. During the term of his service, Captain Walker often acted as Area Commandant.
Known as an all round sportsman, and the finest athlete in a family of 18, Westby Walker excelled at cricket, horsemanship and running.
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